


Expecting the Unexpected

by aworldoffandoms



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Angst, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Prompt Fic, Tumblr Prompt, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29082249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aworldoffandoms/pseuds/aworldoffandoms
Summary: Nicolette still hasn't told Ethan she loves him and now she finds out she's pregnant. How will Ethan react to hearing both?
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart), Sienna Trinh & Main Character (Open Heart)
Kudos: 7





	Expecting the Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt is in bold. Enjoy!

_This is so not happening…_

Nicolette’s leg bounces in her anxiety as she bites her nails to blunt stubs, the last ten minutes flashing through her head once again as she sits on the bathroom floor, her head in her hands, breathing slowly through her mouth as to not feel nauseous for the upteenth time in a week. 

Her heart pounds in her chest as she stares at the stick resting on the tiled floor beside her, a million thoughts and a million emotions zip through her like lightning and her breath catches again at the knowledge of seeing two pink lines. She quickly squeezes her eyes shut, as if that would banish the memory of it, however, the effort is wasted as she feels the weight of it beside her, the little white plastic life-changer burning a hole through her cheek.

Panic seizes her, the feeling gripping her like a vice around her lungs, cutting the air off and she gasps against it, clawing at her throat. A sob rips out of her throat once the panic has loosened its hold against her lungs and she takes a huge gulp of air. There is a twisting feeling in her stomach like hands had wrapped around it and she gives a jolt before she bolts up to her knees to sink her face into the toilet bowl, emptying what was left of the meal she had with her roommates for breakfast, silent tears falling down her face. 

She startles at the knock on the door. “Nicolette? Are you okay?” 

_No. I’m not._

She wants to follow her thoughts and speak the truth but she decides against it and she wipes her mouth with some toilet paper and clears her throat, grimacing against the burn of the bile still lingering in her throat. 

“I’m fine, Sienna. I’ll be out in a minute.” 

There is concern lining Sienna’s voice and Nicolette, despite the life-changing results she couldn’t foresee making her unravel, smiles. If there was anything she was grateful for at this moment, it was Sienna.

“Are you sure, sweetie? You’ve been in the bathroom for fifteen minutes. I’m starting to worry. We all are.” 

Nicolette’s legs wobble as her nausea hits her in one fell swoop and she catches herself on the vanity, her arms at least giving her leverage to keep herself upright and she holds onto it for dear life, her legs regaining some semblance of strength to stand up straight. 

“Again, I’m fine, Sienna. I’ll be out in a minute.” 

“Okay. We are leaving at five to go to Edenbrook. Will you be coming with us?” 

Nicolette's stomach swoops again at the thought of work and she thinks she’s going to vomit but she closes her eyes against the feeling and breathes through her nose, the air flowing through her lungs and grounding her in a way that settles her stomach. 

She sighs, running a hand through her hair, placing the positive pregnancy test deep into the trash bin beside the toilet, taking extra care to cover it up. She loves her friends but they are all so nosy. “Yes. Just give me a second.” 

“Okay, Nic. Be quick.” 

_Shit._

She has to go to work and see Ethan. The man that had taught her so much annoys the crap out of her, makes her want to scream and shake his shoulders at his stubborn stalwart ideals and beliefs because they are more than often outdated (especially about family and love) but more than anything, he makes her laugh, makes her smile, and above all…he makes her happy than she ever thought possible. 

Her heart swells with the intense emotion she feels for him, the day seems almost a bit brighter but it is eclipsed by the fear of the unknown. Of the fact that she is now pregnant with his child and she has no idea how to broach the subject to him. 

How do you tell the guy that you’re in love with that you are having his baby? And worse yet, what do you do when you haven’t even told him that you love him? That’s life-changing on its own. Admitting to someone, the true, unmasked version of your heart is the most vulnerable, raw thing you could do. But this? This was huge. This was sure to drive him away. To make him throw away the key and live life like he always used to before she waltzed into his life.

Nicolette had hopes that they had moved past the questions in their relationship and they were on steady ground but neither had defined their relationship yet. So…maybe she didn’t have to bring up this world-stopping-on-its-axis event?

She groans inwardly at that trail of thought. Who was she kidding? Ethan could sniff out anything that was concerning her and he had the odd ability to read her like no-one else. Not even her own family understood her like than Ethan did. 

A weak smile lifts the edges of her lips at that thought but it quickly deflates at the trepidation swims through her at the fact that she was going to work and seeing Ethan knowing that she was carrying this huge bombshell and all Ethan had to worry about was if he was going to almost-punch Doctor Mendoza in the face for the tenth time at his asinine ideals and what Mendoza contributed as ‘his ethics’. 

“I’ll just take one step at a time and see where today takes me.” 

That’s what Nicolette thinks but she has a feeling that, if anything like last year went, nothing really goes to plan. 

*** 

Nicolette paces in front of Ethan’s office, her shoes wearing a whole into the linoleum, her lips caught between her teeth and her hands clenching against her sides. She had been building up the courage to tell Ethan about her news all day but each time she saw him, either in a diagnostics meeting, rounds or just as simple as him walking down the corridor, she loses her nerve and scurries away like a dog with her tail between her legs. 

She doesn’t know what to do. If anything she’s scared. Scared of what this news will bring. For her future. And to the future that she wants with Ethan. Nicolette knows that saying those three little words are one of the biggest and most important moments and she was so ready to say them. If she’s honest with herself, she’s been ready to say them for a long time but now? With her being pregnant? Nicolette isn’t sure if either option is viable right now. She didn’t want to clock Ethan over the head with them both, being as important as they are. 

“What am I going to do?” Nicolette grumbles under her breath, pacing back and forth in front of Ethan’s door. “How do I say it? Should I go in there and write a note? Should I just tell him straight out? Hint it to him? Ethan can be a bit dense when it comes to personal feelings….maybe I could use that to my advantage?” 

She sifts through her thoughts out loud, none the wiser to the outside world, so much so, that she doesn’t see the tall figure walking up behind her and she jumps three feet in the air when she hears his deep voice. 

“Use what to your advantage?”

A small yelp escapes her and she whirls around, her eyes wide as the shock of seeing Ethan freezes her to the spot and her stomach does a somersault at seeing the handsome face of the man that she loved so much. His blue eyes regard her with a hint of amusement but his lips turn down in a frown in concern at her reaction to him. 

Ethan’s hand lifts and he rests it on her arm and Nicolette resists the urge to melt against him, to fall into his arms, to just let go and cry. But she doesn’t. She can’t. She needs to be stronger than that. 

Ethan’s hand stays, seeping warmth through her, as Nicolette meets his eyes and something clicks into place as she stares at him. She needs to tell him. He deserves to know. 

She clears her throat and glances to his office door. “Can we go inside? I need to talk to you about something.”

Ethan nods, his palm grazing down her arm until his fingers entwine with hers, not even caring about the open display of affection before he pulls her into the office after him. He doesn’t drop her hand until he sits them both down on his couch.

Nicolette’s stomach rolls dangerously and she gulps against the bile wanting to rise up in her throat and she breaths deeply. It seems like the only thing that calms down her stomach. 

_How do I start this?_

“Nicolette? Are you alright?” 

Nicolette is pulled out of her thoughts by Ethan brushing his fingers against her cheek tenderly, his concern for her weaving through every word and the gentle touch. Nicolette’s heart swells at the sweet gesture as tears sting her eyes. 

This is it. She was going to tell him. Damned, be the consequences. 

She opens her eyes, tears pooling at the edges until they slide down silently. Ethan's quiet gasp is all that is heard in the room, and he moves forward to hold her but Nicolette pushes him back gently. 

“Wait. I really need to tell you this.” 

Ethan’s mouth twists down in confusion. “Tell me what?” 

“I think that…I…want to…to talk.”

Ethan’s eyebrows furrow and he leans back against the couch, respecting her space but keeping a watchful eye on her all the same as Nicolette stumbles through her words. Her thoughts race, her heart pounds. Nicolette sighs, sending a quick prayer to the skies above that this doesn’t implode and says the words in a rush. The words burst from her lips like a waterfall, the words life-changing. 

**“I think we need to talk about the fact that I’m in love with you and also that I’m pregnant.”**

Nicolette chances a glance at Ethan and finds him staring at her, mouth agape and his blue eyes just as wide. He’s speechless. The echo of the words are heavy between them and she’s not sure how to feel. Another agonising few minutes pass before Nicolette starts to worry.

_Crap. I’ve broken him._

“Ethan? Are you alright? Please…please say something. I know that this isn’t one of the things you factored into your life but—”

Nicolette is interrupted when Ethan stops her words by kissing her, the strength of his kiss taking her breath away and her heart bursts with it. Ethan didn’t have to say anything for Nicolette to know but he says it anyway as they part after a long moment of getting lost into each other. 

Ethan holds Nicolette’s face gently, his thumbs running a gentle path up and down the apples of her cheeks. “Don’t. This is more than I could have hoped for. I know that I’ve said things in the past that have skewered your views on what I want in life but what I want now, right this second and always, is _you_ ,” Ethan pauses to tuck some hair behind her ear, giving her the most tender smile that radiated what she’s always felt for him. Ethan pulls her to him, his forehead touching hers and whispers the words, so full of conviction and truth that Nicolette can’t help but shiver as they brush over her. “You are such an amazing woman. So strong and it’s why I love you. This is unexpected but we’ll take this one step at a time.” 

A small sob escapes Nicolette as relief punches through her like a freight train and she has to wipe at her eyes but Ethan beats her to it, wiping her tears away with the pad of his thumbs, his ocean blue eyes soften and he kisses her forehead before wrapping his arms around her. 

“I’m scared, Ethan.” 

Ethan’s chest vibrates with his affirmation and he tightens his hold on Nicolette, his head resting against hers, his hands running up and down her back soothingly. 

“I know…but, we’ll get through this. We’ll make it work.” 

Nicolette smiles as a wave of peace settles over her. Maybe confessing her feelings and her pregnancy at the same time wasn’t a bad idea after all. She squeezes Ethan closer to her, burying her face into his chest.  
  
“Us against the world, huh?” 

“Always.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a bunch of prompts that I'll be writing on tumblr posting on there and posting on here as well. I needed this to get me back into the writing groove because I'm been seriously lacking on that part. I hope you enjoyed this! 
> 
> Any comments or kudos are welcome! 
> 
> You can find the fic on my tumblr here: https://aworldoffandoms.tumblr.com/post/613740397043351552/this-master-list-of-a-set-of-drabbles-and-ficlets


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